Life is beautiful
by midnightshadowmaster
Summary: A baby makes Nick think about his relationship with Monroe. Slash. One-shot.


**I do not own Grimm.**

Nick wondered, again, if this was a good idea. Really, was this was his life had come to? Was it some kind of joke? Some retaliation due to his actions? He tried hard to be a good detective, even with all the Grimm business going on. Trying to not put all the Wesen in jail, even if some were too ugly to look at. He even protected the one that tried to kill his aunt. True, it was hard to not kill her, but he had managed.

Even with everything that happened with Juliette and the entire zombie business, he had prided himself in being able to handle things as if he dealt with every situation all the time. _Just act naturally_. What was even natural for him? Check to see if there were Wesen to kill or something like that? According to the endless books in the trailer, he was supposed to do just that. According to his cop status and the badge and gun he carried, he had to protect even the Wesen that were model citizens, such as himself. He scoffed. Maybe he wasn't the model citizen everyone thought him to be, but he wouldn't get into the technicalities that were brought forward by his mother's brief visit. It still gave him a headache.

"Everything okay, Nick?"

"Uh?"

"You've been spaced out for some time now" Hank mentioned, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking about the case" he muttered, looking, admittedly for the first time, the file he and Hank had been able to half-build so far. Hank rolled his eyes, but decided not to push. Nick would most probably tell him if it was something really important. They had developed a close friendship during their years working together, and the only thing he had been kept in the dark on was the Wesen world, and that ended after a couple of months.

"Any mysterious stuff going on with our suspects?"

"Yeah, one of them is Wesen" Nick said.

Obviously, Nick didn't feel too talkative today, Hank decided, so he didn't ask much more. Their rides on the car were mostly silent as they went exploring for new clues and get their hands on evidence and suspects, or witnesses. Hank, finally, dropped Nick off at Monroe's house, where he had been staying since the incident with Juliette happened. True, she had left Portland, and had left the house in Nick's name, but the Grimm didn't want it, so he had sold it and had stuck the money into his bank account, and kept staying with Monroe, paying a small rent and for half the bills. Hank didn't question it. Monroe was a Blutbad, and he guessed Nick would probably be safer with the watchmaker than with him. Not to mention that they had met when Nick had started with all the Grimm business, and it had become default to go to Monroe on anything Wesen, and then for some casual chatter.

If Hank had been more insecure about his friendship with Nick, he would've felt replaced. As it was, he only felt some vague sense of annoyance from time to time when Nick was interrupted from their cases to know if he would like some vegan steak for dinner. Monroe called nearly every day to ask if he wanted dinner, as if Nick didn't rush back home to eat the delicacies the Blutbad prepared so skillfully as soon as he clocked out.

* * *

Nick was wearing a small frown as he entered the house. Monroe said it made no sense that Nick still knocked to enter, as if he didn't live there. But this was different. He still wasn't sure what he was supposed to do.

"Monroe?"

"Yeah? Dinner will be ready in half an hour. You're a bit early. Everything okay?" Monroe came out of the kitchen, his apron still on, and he was mixing something in a bowl.

"Yes, everything's fine, don't worry. Hank dropped me off, and will probably pick me up tomorrow, since I left the car at the precinct. Anyway, how are those tortellini coming along?"

"Perfect, half an hour, as I told you. Freshen up a bit, you look tired"

"I'll make a bit of a social call with the neighbor, though, before dinner. I… kind of need to talk to you about something" Nick shifted his weight, and Monroe noticed some uncertainty in his eyes.

"Uh… okay. The dear old lady or…?"

"No, the, uh, writer, I think he was?"

"Oh, okay. Still, you will need to freshen up before making that social call"

Nick sighed, and went to wash his face and change his shirt. He went to the house next to theirs, and knocked. A small curse was heard, and their recent neighbor opened with a smile.

"Hey, Nick. He's asleep right now. You still don't have any baby equipment?" _Ian, the writer, Nick recited again in his head._

"I'm afraid I was caught up with a case all day" Nick sighed, "I do have a safe place for him to sleep and not kill himself, though"

"That sounds good. Come in if you want. Dinner?"

"No, Monroe is making tortellini" Nick chuckled.

"I wish I had someone like you"

"I wish I had your child-rearing skills"

"You still don't know if you have them. Really, parents aren't born ready to be parents, you know? You'll learn along the way. And I can babysit anytime you want. My mother used to grill into my head that caring for children was not only a woman's job, so I had to know how to take care of kids too" Ian picked the small baby up, gently, and, carefully, placed him in the detective's arms. The baby instantly seemed to curl up to him, something Ian cooed at. After thanking Ian, _the writer_, _Nick recited_, and giving him twenty dollars for the favor, he turned around and went back home.

"Nick, do you smell something like…?" Monroe came out of the kitchen, apron gone and with their night wine in hand, "Baby. Okay, I thought it was my imagination at first. Are you really holding a baby there? Where did it come from?"

"It's a boy, Monroe. And this is what I need to talk to you about, actually. You remember I left earlier today? And that you still weren't awake?"

"Yeah, first time it happened, actually" Monroe muttered.

"Ah, well, I found him in our doorstep" Nick said, "He had a note, addressed to me, and… I haven't read it. I didn't know what to do, so I left him with Ian, the writer neighbor, because he was out getting his newspaper. He said it was okay, and… here we are. I don't know what to do"

"Is he yours?"

"No" Nick sighed, "I took some of his drool and had it run. I don't understand why else he would be left for me to find him, but apparently me being the biological father was _not_ a factor for that decision"

"Do you have the note?"

"Yeah" Nick took it out, and Monroe only hesitated for a second before grabbing it and opening it to read, "What does it say?"

"You better read this for yourself…" Monroe gave it to him, and Nick balanced the note and the baby, finally being able to read it. It had been in his mind the entire day.

* * *

_Dear Grimm,_

_Yes, I know what you are, where you live, and who you live with. I do not mind for it. I know your name is Nicholas Burkhardt, and you are a detective, as well as a Grimm. Those are the reasons I write to you regarding my son. Or, maybe, your son, if you decided to accept him as that._

_His name is Aiden. He is two months old. He still has no recognition of familiar environments, so I know he will not miss me. I currently live in danger, and I cannot, unfortunately, provide a safe home for him. I am not dead, but I will probably will be in the near future. I love my son, do not misunderstand me, but he is a Mauvais Dentes, and he would only be formed into a weapon, a killing machine, like I was molded to be one. I despise having to work for Royals, but I was born to my mother in a similar situation Aiden was born to me. She tried escaping for a couple of years, but they still found us. They killed her, and took me. Here we are._

_I know you work for a half-royal, Sean Renard. I know you would not let him use or harm my son, even if you do not take him in, as a future weapon. I do not trust him enough to not try and make Aiden his own little weapon against his own family._

_If you wonder about his biological father, he was a Mauvais Dentes like myself. He was killed when I was four months along, while trying to get us away from the royals we worked for. It is only a matter of time before they find me._

_I do not want this life for my son, unless he chooses to have it. You are the only Grimm that would not kill a Wesen child or adult on sight. I trust you enough to do that. I know you can deal with other Mauvais Dentes, and with Reapers. News spread fast. You were my only option when I found I was pregnant. Forgive me if this causes any problems with your significant other, Monroe, the Blutbad. I do not mind that he is Wesen or is a Blutbad, since I will only be grateful to him if he also accepts him as his son. If you do, that is._

_In case you do not want to have Aiden, please, I ask you to give him to someone you trust enough. Do not reveal his Wesen nature to anyone, please, I beg you._

_My most sincere greetings,_

_Elaine Kramer._

* * *

"I thought they were few Mauvais Dentes"

"There are few. The females are even more of a close guarded secret than the males. Even with human parents, the chance of the kid being Wesen is higher when the female is the Wesen of the relationship" Monroe explained, "God, it must be awful to give a baby away like this"

"She sounded… detached"

"Yeah, but I guess that has to do with her life. And she has been taught her entire life that she must kill Grimms, and that she is only a killing machine. Yet she sent him to you, a known Grimm that has killed other Mauvais Dentes and some Reapers" Monroe sighed, "Poor girl… and her husband, or boyfriend, or whatever they were"

"She said you were my…"

"Oh, that" Monroe blushed, "That's kind of my fault. You've been living here, so you kind of smell of me and my territory"

"Oh" Nick sighed, "I can move out if this bothers you, though. I know a baby is not… well, ideal… and I will take him in. As you said, she had to be truly desperate to send him to me, knowing I'm a Grimm and all"

"Don't worry about that, Nick. I work here most of the time, and a baby really wouldn't interrupt much while working, at least as soon as he has a routine. And you can't leave him with just _any_ babysitters. I don't know how early or how late they Woge for the first time, but at first it can't be controlled and anyone could see it" Monroe said, "Dinner is getting cold, though"

"Right, right" Nick shuffled, unsure of how to deal with this. Monroe chuckled, and took the baby from him. A baby that still didn't wake, and just cuddled into the added warmth. Nick couldn't help but find the picture adorable, "Are you sure…?"

"Nick, really. If you truly bothered me, I wouldn't want you to live with me in the first place" Monroe assured, and the detective blushed lightly.

"Thank you, Monroe"

Nick was still thoughtful the next day, and Hank knew there was something different about him too. It wasn't just about the case they were still trying to solve.

"Shoot"

"Uh?"

"You've been all distracted since yesterday, and I know it isn't about the case"

Nick sighed.

"I have a son" he said.

"You what?!" some people in the street turned to see them, but then ignored the pair.

"Look… it's not mine… or, it is… can we have this conversation later?"

"Will you tell me what else is bothering you?"

"It's like a combo, to be honest"

Hank decided to, yet again, let Nick tell him when he felt like it. At least, they would have the conversation sooner than before with his light pushing. It was light, right?

* * *

They solved the crime, and, after turning in the report, Nick drove home, thoughtful yet again. This girl, Elaine, thought that Monroe and he were… involved, in some sort of personal and intimate way. He wasn't sure what his thoughts on the matter were. He felt a bit awkward with the entire relationship thing since Juliette. Five years to waste. But he found that he didn't exactly _mind_ being domestic with Monroe. It just felt normal. He knew that considering how they met and how they became friends, maybe that familiarity _shouldn't_ be normal.

Also, he had started to feel torn whenever Rosalee and Monroe were together. He felt bad for intruding in their couple-y moments, but, at the same time, he felt slightly triumphant when Monroe actually interrupted their get-togethers (_not dates, he thought_) to help him with a case. He felt a bit bad about it. Monroe's love life shouldn't be any of his business. So why did he make it his business? And then, he had his answer. Apparently, he wanted to date Monroe. Maybe that was the reason he didn't find the need to correct Ian when he mentioned having someone like Monroe for him. _He actually wanted Monroe like that_.

And Monroe _insisted_ on Nick staying, with Aiden and all. It all seemed like… they were actually a couple… and about to raise a child together. He just couldn't… if Monroe didn't feel like that… maybe he should really ignore Monroe's insistence on him staying, and really move into another place. Because it would get him all the bad ideas, and he could end up ruining the perfect friendship they had. And probably hurting Rosalee in the way.

"You seem to be coming awfully thoughtful lately. Anything you want to share?" Monroe was holding Aiden, who was currently munching on an already soggy chocolate chip cookie, "It was the only thing I could find to calm him down. Never mind that Rosalee actually brought some toys for him to munch"

Nick chuckled.

"Rosalee came over? Why didn't she stay?" he would deny that he was glad he had Monroe all to himself. Monroe rolled his eyes, "I was just thinking, though…"

"Huge exercise for you, huh?"

"Oh, shut up" Nick laughed, shoving him, though while being careful enough to not hurt Aiden, who just giggled, "I mean, I decided to keep Aiden and all, Monroe, and I really appreciate you telling me we could stay with you, but I know you and Rosalee are going out and all, and maybe, at some point, well… you might want to settle down with her, definitely, and have your own kids…" the idea alone was hurting Nick more than the detective would've thought. Had he been this oblivious about his own feelings towards Monroe?

Damn.

"Nick, Rosalee and I aren't going out anymore. I didn't tell you because you seemed really stressed out when you came home, but we haven't been going out for a couple of weeks. Don't worry, it was mutual agreement and we're cool as friends, though" Monroe finally explained. Nick blinked rapidly.

"For real? Why?"

"You. In a good way, I promise" Monroe added as soon as Nick seemed to panic, "I just… I didn't realize it at first, and she was the one that pointed it out to me, maybe in a too literal way. You always came first, even when I became interested in her. I dropped what I was doing, even my routine, to help you. It was always like… on instinct. And I didn't realize until you moved in that I rather like how we are right now. Well, there could always be more kissing and cuddling, but, you know, having you close was enough. And the thought of you leaving with Aiden, well… it just didn't sit well with me, or my possessive Blutbad side"

"So, you're telling me that… you like me?"

"Love you, Nick. You can be dense sometimes" Monroe sighed, "And this adorable drool machine made me realize that I love you so much that I want a family with you. Starting with said drool machine"

Nick smiled, and hugged him, mindful of Aiden, who was still slobbering all over the cookie that also started to look like something that was not a cookie. Monroe pecked his lips softly, and Nick responded in kind.

"Yes, to all that. God, Monroe… I felt bad yet so satisfied when I interrupted your time with Rosalee and I… oh, God, I thought you didn't feel the same, and it would be awkward as hell when you decided to settle down with her, so I needed to insist on leaving so I didn't ruin anything, but this…"

"This has got to be the most nervous I have seen you, Nick. Come on, dinner is getting cold"

As if those were magic words, they headed to the table. Nick actually took his phone out and snapped a picture of Aiden when Monroe put the baby in a rather elaborate high chair.

"Where did you get that from?"

"I have stuff from when I was little. As you have probably noticed, I tend to keep family stuff around. Especially antiques. This chair has been used for family babies for like… generations and generations. I just thought it would be nice to use it. I took out some of my old toys, but they aren't really safe for him to bite, so maybe we can wait a couple of years until he no longer feels the need to put _anything_ in his mouth. Oh, and our neighbor Ian came over for a while, with the cookies that Aiden started to drool over. He said he would like to have us over for dinner sometime, with Aiden included"

"Sure. He seems nice enough"

"He's Wesen, too. I'm unsure which kind, because he never Woged" Monroe sighed, "But I could smell it on him"

"Maybe he will tell us" Nick muttered, "He seems really tame. Maybe an Eisbiber?"

"I don't think so. After dealing with Bud and his friends for quite a while, I'm sure I would've smelled a new one, even if they weren't Woged"

Nick nodded.

"Maybe tomorrow night? It's Saturday, and Hank and I closed the case today, so…"

"Sure, I'll dial him"

Nick smiled. Aiden waved his hands towards the Grimm, giggling, and said Grimm couldn't help but coo and pick him up. Monroe smiled fondly as he dialed Ian to say they could have dinner tomorrow night if he was agreeable. The Blutbad hung up when the other Wesen accepted, and then took a look at Nick holding little Aiden while eating. The baby was, truth be told, the most adorable little thing Monroe had seen in quite a while.


End file.
